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Mitchell RJ, Hewison RL, Fielding DA, Fisher JM, Gilbert DJ, Hurskainen S, Pakeman RJ, Potts JM, Riach D. Decline in atmospheric sulphur deposition and changes in climate are the major drivers of long-term change in grassland plant communities in Scotland. Environ Pollut 2018; 235:956-964. [PMID: 29358149 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.12.086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2017] [Revised: 12/20/2017] [Accepted: 12/22/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The predicted long lag time between a decrease in atmospheric deposition and a measured response in vegetation has generally excluded the investigation of vegetation recovery from the impacts of atmospheric deposition. However, policy-makers require such evidence to assess whether policy decisions to reduce emissions will have a positive impact on habitats. Here we have shown that 40 years after the peak of SOx emissions, decreases in SOx are related to significant changes in species richness and cover in Scottish Calcareous, Mestrophic, Nardus and Wet grasslands. Using a survey of vegetation plots across Scotland, first carried out between 1958 and 1987 and resurveyed between 2012 and 2014, we test whether temporal changes in species richness and cover of bryophytes, Cyperaceae, forbs, Poaceae, and Juncaceae can be explained by changes in sulphur and nitrogen deposition, climate and/or grazing intensity, and whether these patterns differ between six grassland habitats: Acid, Calcareous, Lolium, Nardus, Mesotrophic and Wet grasslands. The results indicate that Calcareous, Mesotrophic, Nardus and Wet grasslands in Scotland are starting to recover from the UK peak of SOx deposition in the 1970's. A decline in the cover of grasses, an increase in cover of bryophytes and forbs and the development of a more diverse sward (a reversal of the impacts of increased SOx) was related to decreased SOx deposition. However there was no evidence of a recovery from SOx deposition in the Acid or Lolium grasslands. Despite a decline in NOx deposition between the two surveys we found no evidence of a reversal of the impacts of increased N deposition. The climate also changed significantly between the two surveys, becoming warmer and wetter. This change in climate was related to significant changes in both the cover and species richness of bryophytes, Cyperaceae, forbs, Poaceae and Juncaceae but the changes differed between habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth J Mitchell
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK.
| | | | | | - Julia M Fisher
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK
| | - Diana J Gilbert
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK
| | - Sonja Hurskainen
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK; Department of Ecology, University of Oulu, Pentti Kaiteran katu 1, 90014, Oulu, Finland
| | - Robin J Pakeman
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK
| | - Jacqueline M Potts
- Biomathematics & Statistics Scotland, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK
| | - David Riach
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK
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Mitchell RJ, Pakeman RJ, Broome A, Beaton JK, Bellamy PE, Brooker RW, Ellis CJ, Hester AJ, Hodgetts NG, Iason GR, Littlewood NA, Pozsgai G, Ramsay S, Riach D, Stockan JA, Taylor AFS, Woodward S. How to Replicate the Functions and Biodiversity of a Threatened Tree Species? The Case of Fraxinus excelsior in Britain. Ecosystems 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-015-9953-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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